The Miniaturist Star Anya Taylor-Joy Talks Marin's Secret and This Episode's Most Shocking Scene
Fair warning! Spoilers ahead, if you haven't finished episode two of The Miniaturist on Masterpiece PBS.
At the end of the second episode of The Miniaturist, the Brandt family reputation is in peril. Frans Meermans promises to expose Johannes as a gay man, which in 17th-century Amsterdam was a crime punishable by death. And as Johannes flees the city in an attempt to escape persecution, his sister Marin refuses to say goodbye, crumbling under the weight of her own shameful secret.
In the final moments of the show, Petronella, played by actress Anya Taylor-Joy, walks in on Marin about to drink from a chalice filled with poison.
Nella immediately assumes that this suicide attempt is a response to Johannes's plight and tries to placate Marin with assurances that her brother will be okay, and there is a financial solution to their money woes.
"Oh you stupid stupid girl," Marin responds. "Don't you see? It's not about him."
Indeed, as viewers are quick to find out, it's about Marin's pregnant belly, and a soon-to-be-born child out of wedlock.
It's a pivotal moment, says Taylor-Joy, because her character is finally able to stand up for herself. "t’s a really big change. Nella has really come into herself," the actress says. "Everything changes when she realizes why her husband Johannas won’t sleep with her. And she starts to understand that the constructs of society which she think she’s supposed to adhere to no longer really apply in the world of this house."
It's a turning point both for Nella's independence, but also for her relationship with her Marin. By the time she discovers that Marin is pregnant, Nella feels secure enough in her role in the household to intervene.
"Nella was petrified of Marin to begin with and now she’s got this strength there," says Taylor-Joy. "I think it’s a really interesting equalizing moment for the two women because Nella has a husband that is quote unquote abnormal for her-she doesn’t completely understand what’s going on there-and then all of the sudden, she sees that Marin’s been hiding this big secret too. And you start to realize that maybe the two women have more in common than they originally thought."
Despite the tension between their characters in the first half of the series, Taylor-Joy is clearly keen on her co-star Romola Garai, who plays Marin Brandt, calling her a "phenomenal actress" and a "really incredible human being." And she enjoys how their relationship changes in the second half of the show.
"I love their relationship between Nella and Marin towards the end of the series because there’s a warmth there, there's an understanding. I think that comes from sharing a secret."
But the story isn't over yet. The final episode of The Miniaturist airs next Sunday night on Masterpiece PBS at 9 p.m. eastern, 8 p.m. central. Check your local listings here.
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